1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing value documents, in particular bank notes, cards, checks, tickets, vouchers, etc.
2. Related Art
For paying bank notes into a bank-note processing machine, the bank notes can be individually input successively through an input opening of the machine. The input bank notes are automatically taken up by a transport system and supplied to processing in the machine. In the bank-note processing machine there is effected a check and recognition of the bank notes using sensors, thereby ascertaining e.g. the authenticity, the type (currency, denomination) or the state (soiling, damage) of the bank notes. On the basis of the results of the check and recognition, the bank notes are sorted and stored in the apparatus or else returned.
For the processing of bank notes in a bank-note processing machine it is of fundamental importance that the bank notes are input to the machine individually and correctly. Faultily transported bank notes pose problems upon further processing, because they can lead to jamming in the transport system or not be recognized and checked by the sensors. For example, it can lead to transport problems when folded bank notes or bank notes with large dog's-ears are input to the input pocket. Transport problems also occur if foreign bodies or several value documents at the same time are input or if the bank notes are input too close to the edge of the input opening or too obliquely.
In the past there have been proposed a multiplicity of improvements intended to improve the quality of the bank-note feed and to ensure that only one bank note at a time passes into the machine and does so straight. For this purpose there have been proposed for example mechanical improvements. Likewise, it has been proposed to provide light barriers after the input opening of the machine to ascertain whether a bank note is being input to the machine too obliquely.
Starting out from the stated prior art, the invention is based on the object of stating a method and an apparatus for processing value documents wherein transport problems are avoided in the bank-note processing machine.